Anyone tell me the better of the two: Cigna HMO or PPO (in California)...thanks!!!?

Question

My husband has to selcet which plan for a new job. I have always been very against the HMO...but it looks pretty good on co-pay and reimbursement.........any thoughts?

Answer 1

In the end a PPO can cost a bit more payment wise. An HMO can seems to be a better deal but........

Picking your own doctor goes a long way. If you are both healthy this is a minimal expense in regard to copays and such. The little bit more with going with a PPO can and will save tens of thousands later if something serious happens to either of you. An HMO will give you little recourse.

Answer 2

PPO's cost more but allows you to go to any doctor you choose

Answer 3

The main difference between HMOs and PPOs is this:

With an HMO you CANNOT use any other doctor and usually you are trapped if your primary care physician refuses to refer you to a specialist.  You would have to change your primary care physician.

With a PPO as long as you use an "in network" doctror you are fine.  So, if you find out you don't like your doctor, it is very easy to go to a different one.

Typically your copays and dedcutibles are lower with HMOs because your choices are limited.

I have always chose to go with PPOs for the bigger freedom of choice AND because I have been generally healthy.  If I had a lot of health problems, I might be forced to use an HMO to keep my out of pocket costs down.

Check Cigna's website and see if doctors you know and like accept either the HMO, PPO or both (or neither).